Take You Where the Peaches Grow
by alchemyfreak42
Summary: Koharu dreams about a boy with blonde hair and golden eyes, but her waking hours are filled by the hatred of the villagers. She keeps her head down and avoids making anyone angry- but why is a stranger suddenly protecting her? What are peaches, and where do they grow? Based on the tv show. Norn9 isn't mine. (Does this make me a poet...?) M for mention of nonexplicit past-assault


**In this fic, Koharu accepts the Reset while Kakeru doesn't- this version doesn't have the 'trial' reset like in the actual show.**

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 _It's for them_. _They can be happy if we do the Reset.  
Even If I'm alone again.  
She closed her eyes, waiting for the Reset to happen, fighting with her heart and hoping it would hurry. Fire raged around her as the Reset washed over her, a sensation almost like when she'd fallen into the lake, Kakeru clutching her to his chest protectively. _

_Kakeru. Would she ever see him again, she wondered? Would she ever see his smile, or hear his laugh again, even in her dreams? Or would it be gone? Would he remember_ her _?_

 _Rubble crashed down around her, Norn9 shaking as the Reset overwhelmed the ship. Koharu struggled, urging the Reset to hurry before she lost control of herself and fought back with every fiber of her being, against the very idea that Kakeru might forget her._

 _Would he remember her at all, or would he live his life in ignorance of what once was and what could have been? Would he see her some day and smile at a face he'd missed, or at one he thought he was meeting for the first time?_

 _At last, the Reset fully overwhelmed her, the cool sensation turning to ice, then passing into fire. As Koharu sank into the darkness, a single tear slipped down her face._

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

She sits up with a quiet groan, brushing stray hairs from her eyes. It's been another bad night, where she can't sleep because of the nightmares she can never seem to remember.

She forces herself off of the little straw mattress she counts as a bed and stumbles outside to fill a pot with water so she can make tea. It feels like hours later when the water is hot, and an eternity before the tea is actually ready. She sips it gratefully, allowing the warmth to seep into her bones in a way that is quickly becoming less common as winter steadily approaches.

She'll need to go into town.

She grimaces at the thought, but it's undeniable- she can't go another winter without getting more supplies- clothing especially, and new shoes. Besides, the roof needs patching and that _has_ to be fixed. She considers the idea of leaving, going somewhere nobody would recognize her as the girl who killed her parents, or the demon child.

No, she decides.

She decided years ago to stay until whatever it is she's waiting for arrives. She'll wait it out.

With that in mind, she pulls on her ratty shoes and brushes futilely at some of the dirt on her dress before pulling her hair back with the only decent thing she owns- a little clip she's had since before she can remember. Once she's grabbed her knapsack, all she has left to do is start walking.

Soon enough, Koharu is hurrying through the marketplace, scanning for the stalls she needs and praying to be left alone. It all depends on what villagers are out in the heat of the day, and who is in the mood for a confrontation. She forces her mind to focus on her tasks, to look for the clothmaker and the cobbler so she can get out of town qui-

"Ah!"

Koharu squeaks as she stumbles backwards from the impact of a villager shoving his way past her, bracing for the impact of the hard stones until she finds a pair of arms holding her securely to a broad chest.

"I've got you," a warm voice murmurs in her ear, something like amusement in its depths.

"Ah!" She shrieks again and jerks away from him, tripping in her haste to _get away, arms up to defend against_ \- the blow doesn't come, and she peeks from behind her hands hesitantly in time to see the startled laughter fade into what, if it weren't her, she'd say was confusion and worry.

"I'm sorry," he says gently, stretching out a hand, "I shouldn't have laughed. Are you alright?"

- _"I've got you," He murmurs, his eyes intense as his hand reaches toward her and the plants move to his will, catching her before she can hit the-_

She frowns at the half-memory, the sense of familiarity despite the fact she's sure she's never met him before.

Koharu nods uncertainly and pushes herself upright without taking his hand- she's been in this position too many times to believe he truly wants to help- and scoffs inwardly at his quiet noise of disappointment. He won't trick her so easily, she isn't that naiive anymore.

She makes certain to keep her head down (don't antagonize him, don't meet his eyes, stay quiet and demure).

"I _am_ sorry," he says quietly, and she's startled by what sounds like genuine pain in his voice.

"Of course," She says quietly, nodding a bit.

"Look, is there some way I can make it up to you?" He asks earnestly, "Can I carry your bags? Please?"

"That's alright," She says quickly, "You don't need to do that."

"But I _want_ to," He says firmly, and she isn't brave enough to resist when he takes her bundle of apples and roofing supplies gently, but with there is a certain feeling of finality in his movements. Instead she can only nod and hope he will leave her in peace before she has to go home, because she knows what will happen if he accompanies her.

 _Screaming, crying as rough hands shove her skirt up-_

She flinches away from the memory, forcing her shaky hands to be still. She doesn't want it to happen again.

"How long have you been here?" he asks after a minute. She considers not answering, but it would be more dangerous to anger him than to answer his questions.

"Always," She says.

He doesn't answer, and she watches him through the glass of the shop they're passing. His blonde hair rustles in the breeze, and he doesn't seem like the other villagers, but a number of them have seemed perfectly harmless until they were already attacking her.

"You're quiet," he says, and she _hmms_ in reply. It's not like she's going to tell him that she's afraid of what he'll do to her, really doesn't want the help. She's afraid of him, and there's no way to say it without angering him.

They reach the first store she needs to get anything from, and he follows her inside, not saying a word as she meekly asks for some cloth. He is silent as the woman looks at her hatefully and says, ' _if that's what it'll take to get you out of my store,'_ and does not respond when the woman tells him he is not welcome, either.

When the leatherworker is the same way, all cold looks and hateful glances, she can feel the rigidness in the body of the man beside her, feel the anger. What confuses her is _why_ he's angry- why would he be upset about this? He doesn't even know her, or she him (she ignores the flash of half memories she feels every time he speaks that tell her _yes, you do know him_ ). Even if they had known each other, he shouldn't be angry about the treatment of a girl like her, anyway.

He must be angry about the fact that they're treating him the same, she decides.

When they reach the cobbler's, he holds a hand out in front of her and asks her size. She freezes, then instructs him to tell the cobbler it is for Koharu- something will be ready, there are _always_ shoes ready here, so that she will not take her time in the cobbler's store.

She is secretly glad that he has decided to go inside for her, because the cobbler is always the worst of the storekeepers and does not limit himself to looks and insults. She forces her mind from memories of beatings and hard feet clad in well-made shoes of the kind she longs for.

The relief wears off soon, though, as she realizes that the townspeople are beginning to take note that she is here, beginning to _watch_ her the way that tells her someone is going to hurt her, soon. She hates herself because she wants the man to get out of the store already, but nobody had outright attacked her when they were together.

She wonders why this is.

"What the hell are you doing in town?" She stiffens as one of the crueler villagers approaches her.

"I need some new shoes for winter," She says quietly, winces as he smacks her hard across the face.

"Go without them," He says coldly.

"I can't," she says shakily. She would get frostbite without shoes, which is the real way she managed to convince herself to come into town today.

"Well that's just too bad you fucking-"

He is cut off with a grunt as the stranger strides out of the store, the sound of flesh-on-flesh loud as the villager stops talking.

"What the fuck is your prob-" the villager cuts himself off, but Koharu doesn't know why- she doesn't look at anyone's faces, ever, because it never brings anything good. She always keeps her head down.

"My _problem?_ " The stranger snarls furiously, _"_ What's _your_ problem?"

There are gasps from other villagers, along with another fleshy _thud_.

"You don't fucking _touch_ her, you got it?" The stranger says coldly. "You don't speak to her, you don't even _look_ her way, because you bastards don't seem to understand what a sweet girl that is."

"Fine!" The villager says, then yells in pain, "Fine, I'll leave her alone, just let me go!"

The stranger snorts derisively, shoves the villager away, and looks coldly at the people watching.

"That goes for the rest of you, too!" He calls out before he turns to her, tells her to lead the way.

She leaves the market to the whispers of _another demon_ , and _devils, the both of them_ , stopping once she's gotten away from the crowd.

"Thank you for the help," she says, "I can take my things, now."

"I'll carry them all the way for you," He says with a laugh, before his voice turns dark, "It's the least I can do if you have to deal with _them_ all the time."

"No- no, really," She says weakly.

"Are- are you _afraid?_ " He asks, and his voice is quiet.

She doesn't answer. She doesn't have to.

"Damnit, Koharu, what did they _do_ to you?" He asks, and there is real pain in his voice the same way there is real pain in her voice on the occasions she allows herself to cry alone.

She hardly notices that, because there is ice in her veins and she is already preparing to flee, run as fast as she can.

"How do you know my name?" She asks, her voice shaking.

"What?" He asks, surprised. "Hang on, you haven't looked at me _once_ \- look up, Koharu- _look_ at me."

She doesn't move, doesn't lift her head, but his hands are strong and his fingers gentle as he lifts her chin, gazes into her eyes worriedly.

"You don't remember me," He says quietly, after a time.

She shakes her head slowly, terrified.

"I'm Kakeru," he says gently, his eyes shining, "I knew you a long time ago, but… something happened and we were separated. I've been looking for you ever since."

Her eyes widen- _is this what she's been waiting for_ \- as she stares at him, tries to remember.

"Why are you here?" He asks, finally. "Why do you put up with them?"

"I'm waiting," She says simply. He doesn't need to know why, or anything else about her. He may say he used to know her, but that doesn't mean she trusts him.

"Can- can I please carry your bags for you?" He asks quietly, begging her with his strange eyes and his beautiful voice.

She shakes her head urgently- the fewer who know where she lives, the better, and hugs her things tighter.

"Hold on," he says, his voice stricken. "Did they-"

He sounds sick, and can't finish her sentence- _she_ is busy closing her eyes and warding off the memory because she does _not_ need that right now, not here.

"I'm sorry," he murmurs, his voice thick, "I'm so sorry I wasn't here to protect you."

She doesn't say anything, just reaches to take the bags from his hands.

"No," he says firmly, desperately, "No, I'm not leaving you alone again. I lost you once, I'm not- I can't let anything happen to you again."

She can't shake him, and eventually gives up, allows herself the tiniest of trembles as he follows her home, because she won't be able to stop him if he tries to hurt her.

She is startled when he pulls a bedroll out of his bag that night and walks outside to begin setting up what looks sort of like a tent, and more amazed when he never says a word about sleeping inside. She doesn't stop him- she wouldn't be able to sleep with him inside, and they both know it.

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The sound of her own scream wakes her sometime that night, and she shoots up on her straw mattress. When the door bursts open, she screams again, scrambles out of bed and screams louder. It takes her an age to recognize him and understand what he is saying.

"Koharu! Koharu, it's me, it's Kakeru, you're safe now, you're safe!"

She isn't strong enough to push him away when he pulls her into his embrace, murmuring softly in a way she hasn't heard anyone do since she was small. They sink to the floor together, he holding her tightly as she shakes.

She is too tired to be afraid of him, not when he is so gentle and his voice so familiar, so _kind_.

"Let's go away from here, Koharu," He says softly, "let me take you away from here."

She allows herself to consider the idea, thinks about how there is nothing but a distant hope for her, here, of something arriving in the distant future. She could go somewhere else, allow Kakeru to go into stores and hear his gentle words each night.

She considers the idea that he would hurt her, but he doesn't seem the type and was so angry when the villager was hitting her. He even went to sleep outside without her even saying a thing, and he hasn't said a word against her or lifted a hand except to carry her bags and to make her look at him.

She nods into his chest, hears his sigh of relief.

"I'll take you somewhere with lots of peaches," he says, and she wonders what a peach is.

They fall asleep that way- him holding her securely to his chest, leaning against the bed while the dirt floor is cold beneath them.

She sleeps better that night than she has in a long time.

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 **This was written to go in the story, but I couldn't find a place for it. So instead, I decided to turn it into an omake. Here ya go.**

 _Kakeru screamed as Koharu fell to the ground just as the upper tier of Norn9 fell. Fury overwhelmed him as she was obscured from his sight, and something inside of him snapped. Kakeru roared furiously as the Reset raged around him, fighting to reach Koharu even as the darkness finally overcame his mind._


End file.
